My new kayak upgrades

[Trophyhusband]

Here's my prototype rudder. The dark gray pipe is schedule 80 PVC that is threaded (got it in the lawn sprinkler section). The cap on top screws off making the rudder easily removable. The pipe needs to be shortened. The bottom bracket needs to be made wider. I'm thinking it should be about an inch wide, but it should be made from thinner material. I have a small cutting board that's about an 1/8" thick that will be perfect. I may even do something completely different for the lower bracket to reduce drag since it is below the water line. The lower part of the next rudder will protrude forward of the gray pipe (I'm sure there is a name for that part of a rudder, but I don't know crap about rudders). The top of the rudder needs to be changed as well to give better leverage for retracting it.

[gggeorge]

Originally Posted by Trophyhusband

So what would it take to push it fully into the realm of "really crazy stuff"?

How about an indash DVD player
you could then watch fishing shows for tips while you're fishing.

also I like your rudder idea also. I had not thought of using the thin cutting board.

[Lt.FireDog]

Very impressive!

[corndog]

Great modifications Trophy. You are quite the inspiration. I too would rather fabricate from scratch then pull something off the shelf. You've inspired me.

Sidetrack: What Lowrance are you running? Can't tell in the pictures. Any transducer pics?

[Trophyhusband]

Originally Posted by gggeorge

How about an indash DVD player
you could then watch fishing shows for tips while you're fishing.

DVD players are so yesterday. I have and Ipod Touch that I guess make a mount for. I've been thinking about adding a waterproof mp3 amp and speakers that I could use for the Ipod sound system.

[Trophyhusband]

Originally Posted by corndog

Great modifications Trophy. You are quite the inspiration. I too would rather fabricate from scratch then pull something off the shelf. You've inspired me.

Sidetrack: What Lowrance are you running? Can't tell in the pictures. Any transducer pics?

Glad I can be an inspiration.

It's an X-4 Pro. Seems to work fine as far as I can tell. I haven't even opened the manual yet, nor have I messed with any of the settings. I mounted the transducer under the seat. There was plenty of space not only for the transducer, but also to coil the excess cable and it was flat and level. I roughed up the 'ducer and the hull and cleaned them with alcohol. I sliced off a section of pool noodle and carved out the middle so the 'ducer would fit snugly. I put a generous amount of goop in it and stuck in the transducer. As far as I can tell, I didn't get any air bubbles.

[Trophyhusband]

Rudder V-2.0 has been built. I have a feeling that 550 cord I used for steering lines will have too much stretch and I will probably have to replace them with stainless steel cable. The little blue bungee ring around the shaft eliminates the need to run a line to deploy the rudder. I was fortunate that I could use some existing deck rigging to run the rudder retraction line. I fabricated a sort of marlin spike thingy that pokes into a loop in the retraction line to hold the rudder up.

[Trophyhusband]

Now that I've got the steering lines ran to the cockpit, I have to figure out how to attach them to the existing foot braces.

[JKay]

Keep the pictures and descriptive progress coming. I'm really enjoying this thread. Some great projects that you keep cooking up.

[Trophyhusband]

Will do, glad you are enjoying it. Next I'm going to tackle adding outriggers. It probably won't be much different than what other people have done except that most people use schedule 40 PVC (the white stuff) and I'm going to use schedule 80 (the gray thicker walled stuff).

As I suspected, the steering lines have too much stretch to them, so I'm off to get some stainless steel cable and a few other odds and ends.